GBS TV students discuss passion for film

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Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of Glenbrook South Television or what really happens behind the Friday morning announcements, the fall sports clips, and the famous lip dubs? Members of the broadcasting elective along with Julie Benca, director of television and film, have shed some light on their experiences in TV and how it has shaped their identities.

Broadcasting entails many projects throughout the year, according to junior TV member Liz Steel. Steel examines the bulk of the course, and also explains that students have a large ownership and role in the class.

“In class, if we’re not working on a project, we will talk about upcoming projects and watch videos and study more that we can improve on,” Steel said. “It’s more of a self-directed class.”

Junior TV member Maria Elena Kouriabalis says that she directs her passion through the elective. According to Kouriabalis, her passion for broadcasting has bloomed through her Glenbrook experiences, though her interest in the industry was planted at an early age. Kouriabalis also explains the importance she gets from film.

“Anything about the movie industry, whether it be the celebrities or the scripts or the scenery, everything has always fascinated me,” Kouriabalis said. “Something about holding a camera or being in front of a camera […] makes me feel important. It’s a feeling you can’t get from anything else.”

Kouriabalis adds that the hands-on course has provided her with an innovative approach to academics.

“You learn how to express your creativity in so many different ways through photography, […] film and then editing it all to a cool soundtrack,” Kouriabalis said. “You get to express yourself in a new way.”

Steel also finds this creative workshop as a positive learning approach and explains that film reflects the filmers thoughts and interests. According to Steel, the art of storytelling is the backbone of the course.

“If something comes to mind, I want to bring it to life,” Steel said. “I think people stem their stories from what they feel and what they’re going through.”

Kouriabalis also adds that storytelling is skill that everyone should have and is crucial to succeed in multiple professions.

“Knowing how to tell a good story and to captivate an audience is one of the most important skills that a person can have, because when you talk to someone, you want to make sure they’re paying attention and you want to make it interesting,” Kouriabalis said.

The students learn their strategies through Benca, who previously attended GBS and participated in TV.

Like Benca, Senior Dasha German, executive producer of The Glenbrook South Report, says she’s been in love with broadcasting since the first day she tried it. German expands that the passion she feels for the industry push her to dedicate large amounts of time to it. German explains that she spends up to eight hours a week working on film.

“It’s the product that makes [the class] so worth it; it makes you feel proud that you’ve completed something that people can see, and people will want to see,” German said. “It’s a lot of time, but it a choice. This is positive stress.”

Along with life lessons, broadcasting provides each student with a variety of lifelong friendships, according to Benca.